Before I cut off my pinky......

[bassman2020]

out of frustration, what exercises can I use to correct my fretting hand pinky finger which I cannot keep close to the fretboard especially when I use the middle finger to play a note. Thanks

 

[PMagers]

This may help -

Invalid Link Removed

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Scott's video will get you started. Get that down first then here is another exercise you will find helps you playing specific chords and scales. We are taught the four note pattern because we have four fingers. Thus your pinky comes into the picture. Yes, do the exercise, don't give up just yet. And running your scales and arpeggio patterns using the four fret pattern until you can do them in your sleep is normally what is required. It will not come over night, but, keep trying.


Major Scale Box. Scott's video numbered each finger - this is not the case here. These numbers are the scale degree number of the major scale. Playing the C major scale at your 4th string 8th fret R will be the C note, 2 is the D note, 3 is the E note, etc.

G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
Want C scale or chord tones put the box's R at the 4th string 8th fret.
Want A scale or chord tones put the box's R at the 4th string 5th fret.
And yes the G scale or chord would be at the 4th string 3rd fret.

Basic Chords

• Major Triad = R-3-5 aka C
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5 aka Cm
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5 aka Cdim

7th Chords

• Maj7 = R-3-5-7 aka Cmaj7
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7 aka Cm7
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7 aka C7
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7 aka Cm7b5
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7 aka Co

Scales

• Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7 Home base
• Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 Leave out the 4 & 7
• Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Major scale with the 3, 6 & 7 flatted.
• Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7 Leave out the 2 & 6.
• Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Minor pentatonic with the blue note b5 added.
• Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Natural minor with a natural 7.
• Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Major scale with a b3.

When you have all those into muscle memory I bet your little finger is doing what you want it to do.

Get in the shed.

 

[Callused Finger]

I just went through this. For 30 years I've used 3 fingers on my left hand. I recently started wanting to be more technical and quickly realized I really should have been using 4 fingers all of this time.
At first it seemed impossible but after about a month of almost nightly practice my pinky has taken over for my ring finger.
I'm almost to the point of where I was, my only problem now is getting used to using my ring finger and pinky.

Just have to keep practicing.

 

[Mushroo]

Try using your pinky and ring finger together as a unit.

 

[INTP]

Finger independence and dexterity come from relaxed coordination. Trying harder, from being frustrated, will be counterproductive. My first suggestion is to be patient and forgiving of yourself. The pinky is shorter than the other fingers, and it shares some tendons with the ring finger, so you're asking it to do something that is somewhat un-natural.

I tried to watch the link to SBL a couple of times but keep getting playback errors. But from what I saw, it looks similar to the exercises that you'll find in "Bass Fitness" by Josquin des Pres. I have during various periods spent a few minutes a day doing exercises from this book and I found it to be a very productive investment. Slow and relaxed, a little bit each day, and changing the specific exercise frequently. Be patient and kind to yourself, and you'll likely see the improvement you desire.

 

[bassman2020]

Finger independence and dexterity come from relaxed coordination. Trying harder, from being frustrated, will be counterproductive. My first suggestion is to be patient and forgiving of yourself. The pinky is shorter than the other fingers, and it shares some tendons with the ring finger, so you're asking it to do something that is somewhat un-natural.

I tried to watch the link to SBL a couple of times but keep getting playback errors. But from what I saw, it looks similar to the exercises that you'll find in "Bass Fitness" by Josquin des Pres. I have during various periods spent a few minutes a day doing exercises from this book and I found it to be a very productive investment. Slow and relaxed, a little bit each day, and changing the specific exercise frequently. Be patient and kind to yourself, and you'll likely see the improvement you desire.

Thank you

 

[bassman2020]

Try using your pinky and ring finger together as a unit.

Thank you

 

[bassman2020]

Try using your pinky and ring finger together as a unit.

thanks

 

[T-Funk]

As previously stated, the Bass Fitness book or similar exercises found via other sources should help to coordinate and strengthen the pinky.

Be sure to keep your hands relaxed and fingers close to the fretboard.

 

[Green1]

Trills will most definately strengthen your pinky. I have the Bass Fitness book and have used it for years, another really good one is Technique Builders from Todd Johnson. There is a very good exercise in that one where you start by placing your four left hand fingers on frets 5,6,7, and 8 of the E string. Next you move one finger at a time to the A string.......index, middle, ring and then pinky. The trick is you only move one finger at a time and the other fingers remain pressed down as you would when you fret the note. He also has a variation of the spider exercise made famous by John Patatucci that is similar to the chromatic one I mentioned above. I use his book and the bass fitness book and both are excellent...........good luck!!

 

[David A. Davis]

One thing you may want to check is the position of your thumb. I've found that to affectively use my pinky, my thumb needs to be in the middle of the back of the neck. If my thumb wraps around and over the top my pinky is useless. Hope that all makes sense.